Bed motion for printing presses



Nov. 29, 1949 w. M. KELLY 2,489,712

BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES 7 Filed June 11, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM M. KELLY ATTORREY Nov. 29, 1949 w. M. KELLY 2,439,712

BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 11, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I X INVENTOR WILLIAM M. KELLY ATTQRNEY Nov. 29, 1 949 w. M. KELLY 2,439,712

' BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 11, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WILLIAM M. KELLY ATTORNY Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES QF'FTCE' William'M: Kelly, Westfieldexecutrix of SaidWilliaxif Application-June' ll, 1947; Serial No." 753,995

This" invention relates to printing presses: More particularly, the invention deals with a simple andeco'nomical eans for actuating the bed back and forth in triepress" m" a manner to provide a substantially constant operation" of the bed in both directions. Still more partic'nrariy; the invention deals with a bed mationin'voivm'a theme of three shafti'figs'; and irorfi'tli'isstafid point may be properly termed a tri sha'ft'b'ed motion, wherein a" minimum number (if parts are employed; andfiirther'whe'rein certain of the few parts employed are duplicated. still rrfoi' particularly, the'invention deals with bed mo tion wherein two' rotatings'e'gments traveling opposite directions drive the bed at uniiorni speed on the printing and r'eturnv idle stroke, and wherein two independently reciprocating bars are employed to" actuate oscillating gear" se'g ments to reverse the directio'n'of the bed at the end of uniformtravel; and furtlierwherein (fen-- trally located gear segments are employedtore verse the bed at theen'd of uniform travel;

The novel features of the" invention" will be best understood from the following descriptions when taken together with the" accompanying drawings in which certain" embodiments of the invention-are disclosed; aridin' which the sep'aF rate parts are designated by suitable reierence characters" ineach oi the viewsyand which:-

. Fig iis a side -sect'ionalwiew diagrammati cai'ly outlining aprinting press-arid showing my improved b'ed motion, the sectionbeing sulcst'an tially on the line II of Fig. 2,-with parts of tfi construction broken'away.

Fig 2 is a' plan view of the press as s'ee n 1 ,v omitting the bed and other super structure} with'parts of the construction broken away and" in section.

Fig. 3 is a section substantially Orr-the 1ine- 3'3'= of Fig. 1, with parts of the structure brokenawa'v' and in section; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan View: showing the arrangement of racks onthe bed, the bed being indicated in part in dotand-dash lines; In bed motions of the general type and kind under consideration it hasbeen-customary'to em ploy rather complicated mechanisms including? manyshafts, in order to perform the desired op-' eration of the bed, and it isthe'purposeofi my: present invention to-construct a beck motion-forprinting presses, wherein. only three primary shafts are employed and a minimum number of parts. Here several of the par-ts are simply duplicat'es, thus further minimizing, the number ofiridividualdifferentparts which are employed.

2 It i's fnithi-dfi (if the obfctsfdf my invention to pr'dvi'd'e asi'ridoth: positive" bed motion wherein triieh'airfnonidniotidfi isni'pldyed in the reverse ing segments, which tafiafoor'itrfil on the vertical center at the fid'of'uniforfiitravel"of the bed.

In illizs'trating one" adafitatidfi array inventi'on, I have diagrammatidallv"'dutiined in the ac'coixifianyingdrawifigj,the'ffam iifof a print frig" press in'vvhich is 'fridfifited-a' main drive shaft i I", havingarohesid :of the'prs's'j apunfey ifl'to driven by a belt i lfroin a suitable drive, for example, an elect'ricmott'iit'l 5, noteFigs". 1 and 2'. The name lfi iiicldds a central longitudinal support it; and in thissiifipdrt and the sides of theframe are fotatabi'yrnonrited' common single revolution shafts IT -IT" which are" rotated in reversed directions; thedriveof the shaft ii'b'ei'ri'g froma pinion [8 on thes'Haft-"lf, operating upon marge-gear f9 on the shaft I 1, whereas the shaft if" is driventhrou'g'h a pinion 2'floii'tlie' shaft li", arid intermediate-gear 21'' and a large gear ion the shaft I'T'. Umiersurraces ofthe press frame lifha've; as seeninnig; 3; tracks 23 forming guides'foi the bed i fof'the press IriFi'g'. Lof the drawing iihaveindicated diagrammatically atiZ F, the printing cyiinder,v andm dot and dash n nes I have indicated apinion; 26 lrie'shing with the gear I'Q- 'andwith a gear 21 qnifinesfiaft za' of th cylinder 25, note" Fig. 3 Tli'eresto'f the press structure is not shownas it farms no particular part of my invention, which dals'primaril'y the bed motion;

Mounted inthecenter frame-t6 is a stub shaft 29; thus completing the third of the tri-shaft constri ction, comprising the shafts i i-4i", the shaft H and thestub shaftmz Onthe ShafU29, at one side-of theirame l6; isa gear 39' which meshes with-a-pinion 3| on-the shaft 51, as wilt clearly appear in. 1 of; the drawing. From; this constructiom; it Will: be apparent that the shaft 29 rotates two revolutions uponeach com plete revolution of the shaftsii-H", thereby performing two complete back and forth reciprocations to-a; pair of oscillating or reciprocating bars 3'232 'l he bars'-3'-2- =32 have elongated apertures 33in theend portions thereof throughwhich pass studs 34 for guiding the bars-in their backand forth reciprocating motion; note Figs. L and- 2.-

Each barhasa downwardly extending elon gated loop portion 35 35 in: theapertures of whichoperatecranktpins: 36 364- The pin 3%? is -mounted on the'gear 30,:w-hereasth'e pin' 36 is mounted on an enlarged disc 37 at the opposed 3 end of the shaft 29. The crank pins 3636 are disposed in opposed relationship to each other, in other words, one hundred and eighty degrees with respect to each other around the snart 29, as will clearly appear in rig. 1 of the drawing. In this manner, it WlLI. be apparent that as one bar, for example, the bar 3: is moved to the right, the opposed par 52 is moved to the leit. In Fig. 1 they are shown at the extreme of their right and left positions. Upon completing a half turn of the smart as, the pin 36 will occupy the position of the pin 36 and vice Versa, which would 7 bring the bar 52 to its extreme lert position and the bar 32 to its extreme right position.

Driving the shaft 29 at a two-to-one ratio with respect to the shaft il-l'l will result in two complete back and forth strokes of each bar 3232 upon one revolution of the shaft I'i'l'i. On the lower surface of each bar is an elongated rack surface 38;3. These racks are disposed directly over the dual shaft structure lL-II.

Arranged upon the lower surface of the bed 24 are two similar racks39-39', these racks being disposed centrally of the bed and outwardly of, or to the outer sides of the bars 3232. Arranged on the bed inwardly of said bars and at opposed ends thereof are shorter racks lii 3il, the latter racks being also preferably grooved on their inner surfaces, as seen at il, note Fig. 3, to receive flange portions 42 on the center track 23.

Keyed or pinned to each shaft I'|--|'i, are constantly rotated gear segments or sectors 43-fi3' substantially of the contour and size seen in the side elevation of Fig. 1, where the segment 43 is shown. In the position of the parts, as seen in the drawing, the segments 43-45 are directly opposed to each other. However, as the shafts l'll 'i" are operating in reverse directions, it will be understood that at times, the segments will assume difierent positions circumferentially with respect to the shafts. The segments G3G3 are adapted to operatively engage the racks 39-39 in the travel of the bed back and forth in the press. Assuming'that the shaft ll travels in a clockwise direction and the shaft H in a counterclockwise direction, the segment 53 will move the bed from left to right, whereas the segment 43 moves the bed from right to left. Freely rotatable on each shaft lI-IT are pairs of oscillating gear segments, one segment in each pair comprising a large diameter, but circumferentially short gear segment l4 and a radially short and circumferentially long gear segment 4545', the latter segment being equal to or slightly greater than ninety degrees.

The segments id-44 are adapted to operatively engage the racks 40-40 respectively, in carrying the bed to the extreme end of the bed stroke and to return the bed to position where the segments 43 l3 take-up and complete the drive of the bed in both directions. It will be understood that the segments 48-45, as well as the segments 44 i5 are secured together so that each pair operates in unison. The gear segments 35-45 mesh with the racks 3838 of the bars 3232, and thus said bars contribute to the pairs of gear racks the reciprocating or oscillating back and forth motion.

It will be seen from a consideration of Fig. 1 of the drawing that the teeth of the gear segments t3-i3' are in mesh with the racks 39 while the gear segments Ml i4 are still in mesh with their respective racks 4El40, so that at no time will there by any clashing of gears or shifting of motion. The bed will have a continuous Clilve in both directions.

At this time, it might be well to carry through one cycle or operation of the bed. Starting with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be apparent that the gear segment as will first operate to move the bed 26. from the delivery end to the left by its engagement with the gear rack ii In this operation, the bar 3: is moved from right to left through its crank pin 35. During this operation, the segment 433 is brought into operation with the rack 39 in which engagement the bed is continued in its travel to the feeder end of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1. During this motion, the bar 3? will have travelled to the limit of its movement to the left and have started in its return movement to the right.

In the above operation, the bar 32 has been first moved to the right and then to the left, returning the bar 32' to the full line position seen in Fig. 1, which position is assumed by the bar as and when the gear segment 5 has engaged the rack ii), carrying the bed to the extreme limit of its left movement to the feeder end and to then start the return of the bed to the right by again moving the bar 32' to the right through its crank pin 3&5. This operation continues until the gear segment 33 engages the rack bar 39 carrying the bed to the right until it is again picked up by the gear segment 64 engaging the rack 40, delivering the bed to the extreme right or delivery end of the machine or back to the position shown infull lines in Fig. 1. As stated before, in the above cycle, each bar 3232' reciprocates back and forth two times in each complete cycle of operation of the machine. In other words, completes two strokes to the right and two to the left and in one of each of these strokes, the gear segments M-M clear the rack bars fi940' and operate in the blank or central portions of the bed, as will be apparent. It will be understood that the gear segments 45-45 are in constant engagement with the rack teeth 33-38, the latter being sufficiently long on the bars to maintain engagement with the quarter segments 545. The stroke of the bars 3232' is governed by the crank pins 3636 and is clearly apparent from a consideration of Fig. 1 of the drawing. It will be apparent that the constantly rotating gear segments or sectors 4343' by reason of the cutout portions thereof clear the bed racks 3939' when the latter are at the left and right ends of the press.

Considering the bed drive in a general manner, it may be said that there are two driving mediums or members, each being rotated at a constant speed, one in a direction opposite to that of the other. Each member contributes its definite drive or feed of the bed in a direction consistent with the direction of rotation of the member. With this constant or direct drive is interposed an intermittent drive by oscillating or reciprocating gear segments which continue the drive of the bed in the direction contributed by the first members and then simultaneously returning the bed for delivery or pick-up to the opposed member. In other words, the latter oscillating members may be said to comprise a pair of oscillating members or units which actuate the bed in two directions in contrast to the primary driving members, each of which actuates the bed in one direction, and one in a direction opposed to the other. For actuating the oscillating members, are a pair of reciprocating bars, positively driv- .5 ingv said members or units and which contribute to each member or unit, two driving motions and two idle motions during each complete cycle or operation of the bed.

In considering the structure of the bed motion, it will appear that the two gear segments 43-43 are identical, as are the gear segments 44-44 and 45-45. In fact, the gear segments 44-44, as well as the segments 43-43 can actually be segmental portions of gears, similar to the gear Hi. This structure together with the three sim ple shaftings and the few other gears employed, plus the simplicity of the bars 32-32., produces a=very simple and economical type of drive and yet a drive which is positive and foolproof in. operation. A bed motion of the type and kind under consideration can operate at relatively high speed. It will also be understood that the design of my improved bed motion leaves ample room in the press for other press mechanisms which are commonly employed and which are not shownas they form no part of the present invention.

For purposes of description it may be said that the gear segments or sectors 43-43 comprise constantly rotated drive members rotating in opposite directions, whereas the bars 32-32 comprise reciprocating drivers which actuate the bed at extremities of movement thereof and in reversing the bed as well as in delivering the bed to the constantly rotating members. It will be apparent that in the drive of the bed, the ninety or more degree gear segments or sectors 43-43 have a free rotary movement except as and when these sectors operatively engage the racks of the bed and the oscillating gear segments are free to swing beneath the bed, except as" and when these segments 44-44 engage the racks 40-40.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising two rotating gear segments, means rotating said segments in opposite directions, a pair of bars mountedfor reciprocating movement in the press beneath the bed of the press, the bed of the press having a plurality of gear racks, predetermined racks of the bed being engaged by said gear seg-- ments in driving the bed in two directions in the press, and oscillating gear segments actuated by said reciprocating bars engaging other gear racks of said bed for reversing the bed at the limit of travel thereof in both directions.

2. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising two rotating gear segments, means rotating said segments in opposite directions, a pair of bars mounted for reciprocating movement in the press beneath the bed of the press, the bed of the press having a plurality of gear racks, predetermined racks of the bed being engaged by said gear segments in driving the bed in two directions in the press, oscillating gear segments actuated by said reciprocating bars engaging other gear racks of said bed for reversing the bed at the limit of travel thereof in both directions, and the arrangement of the racks on the bed and the gear segments one with respect to the other being such as to maintain progressive engagement of the segments with the racks in driving the bed back and forth in the press.

3. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising two rotating gear segments, means rotating said segments in opposite directions, a pair of bars mounted for reciprocating movement in the press beneath the bed of the press, the bed of the press having a plurality of gear racks, predetermined racks of the bed being engaged by said gear segments in driving the bed in two directions in the press, oscillating gear segmentsactuat'ed by said reciprocating bars engaging other gearracks of said bed for reversing the bed at the limit of travel thereof in both directions, the arrangement of the racks on the bed and the ear segments one with respect to the other being such as to maintain progressive engagement of the seg ments with the racks in driving the bed back and forth in the press, and said bars being crank actuated.

4. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising two rotating gear segments, means rotating said segments in opposite directions, a pair of bars mounted for reciprocating movement in the press beneath the bed of the press, the bed of the press havin a plurality of gear racks, predetermined racks of the bed being engaged by said gear segments in driving the bed in two directions in-the press, oscillating gear segments actuated by'said reciprocating bars engaging other gear racks of said bed for reversing the bed at the limit of travel thereof in both directions, the arrangement of the racks on the bed and the gear seg ments one with respect to the other bein such as to maintain progressive engagement of the segments with the racks in driving the bed back and forth in the press, said bars being crank actuated, the oscillating gear segments each including a reciprocating gear segment of substantially ninety degrees, and the bars having rack teeth engaging the reciprocatin gear segments in the drive of the oscillating segments by said bars.

5. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising two rotating gear segments, means rotating said segments in opposite directions, a pair of bars mounted for reciprocating movement in the press beneath the bed of the press, the bed of the press having a plurality of gear racks, predetermined racks of the bed being engaged by said gear seg-'- ments in driving the bed in two directions in the press, oscillating gear segments actuated by said reciprocating bars engaging other gear racks of said bed for reversing the bed at the limit of travel thereof in both directions, the arrangement of the racks on the bed and the gear segments one with respect to the other being such as to maintain progressive engagement of the segments with the racks in driving the bed back and forth in the press, said bars being crank actuated, the oscil lating gear segments each including a reciprocating gear segment of substantially ninety degrees, the bars having rack teeth engaging the reciprocating gear segments in the drive of the oscillating segments by said bars, the crank drive of said bars reciprocating the bars back and forth twice during each complete revolution of the rotary gear segments, one bar reversing the bed atone end of the press, and the other bar reversing the bed at the other end of the press.

6. In a machine employing a device mounted for movement back and forth in the frame of the machine, a'mechanism for actuating said device, said mechanism comprising two members constantly rotating at a common speed in opposite directions to each other, and operatively engaging said device, one member driving the device in: one direction and the other member driving the device in the opposite direction, a pair of recip rocating drivers, means actuated by the drivers engaging the device independent of said members to drive the device in both directions and reverse the device at the limit of its movement in each direction in the machine, said drivers each comprising a rack bar, crank means for reciprocating the rack bar, and a gear segment actuated by said rack bar.

7. A bed actuating mechanism for printing presses, said mechanism comprising three shaftings, one a main drive shaft, another comprising a pair of axially alined shaftings driven from the drive shaft in opposite directions, and a crank shaft driven from the main drive shaft at a ratio of two-to-one to said pair of reversely rotated shafts, a rotating gear segment fixed to each shaft of said pair, the bed of the press having racks engaged by said gear segments, one segment driving the bed in one direction, the other segment driving the bed in the opposed direction, two pairs of oscillating gear segments freely rotatable on said axially alined shafts, a pair of reciprocating drivers, cranks on said crank shaft for actuating said drivers, said drivers having a gear rack operatively engaging one gear segment in each of said pairs operatively engaging spaced racks on said bed for reversing the bed.

8. A bed actuating mechanism for printing presses, said mechanism comprising three shaftings, one a main drive shaft, another comprising a pair of axially alined shaftings driven from the drive shaft in opposite directions, and a crank shaft driven from the main drive shaft at a ratio of tvvo-to-one to said pair of reversely rotated shafts, a rotating gear segment fixed to each shaft of said pair, the bed of the press having racks engaged by said gear segments, one segment driving the bed in one direction, the other segment driving the bed in the opposed direction, two pairs of oscillating gear segments freely rotatable on said axially alined shafts, a pair of reciprocating drivers, cranks on said crank shaft for actuating said drivers, said drivers having a gear rack operatively engaging one gear segment in each of said pairs operatively engaging spaced racks on said bed for reversing the bed, and means for guiding the drivers in their reciprocating movement in the bed.

- 9. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising a tri-shaft drive mechanism, one shaft comprising the main drive shaft, another shaft comprising a pair of axially alined independently rotating shaft portions, means coupled with the drive shaft rotating said shaft portions in opposite directions one with respect to the other, and the third shaft comprising a crank shaft, means fixed to the shaft portions for driving the bed of the press in two directions, and means comprising a pair of reciprocating drivers actuated from the crank shaft for intermittently operatively engaging the bed to reverse the bed at the limit of movement thereof in both directions.

10. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising a tri-shaft drive mechanism, one shaft comprising the main drive shaft, another shaft comprising a pair of axially alined independently rotating shaft portions, means coupled with the drive shaft rotating said shaft portions in opposite directions one with respect to the other, and the third shaft comprising a crank shaft, means fixed to the shaft portions for driving the bed of the press in two directions, means comprising a pair of reciprocating drivers actuated from the crank shaft for intermittently operatively engaging the bed to reverse the bed at the limit of movement thereof in both directions, and in delivering the bed to said second named means.

11. In printing presses, a bed motion compris ing a tri-shaft drive mechanism, one shaft comprising the main drive shaft, another shaft com-' prising a pair of axially alined independently rotating shaft portions, means coupled with the drive shaft rotating said shaft portions in opposite directions one with respect to the other, and the third shaft comprising a crank shaft, means fixed to the shaft portions for driving the bed of the press in two directions, means comprising a pair of reciprocating drivers actuated from the crank shaft for intermittently operatively engaging the bed to reverse the bed at the limit of movement thereof in both directions, and said last named means including gear segments operatively engaging spaced racks on said bed.

12. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising a tri-shaft drive mechanism, one shaft comprising the main drive shaft, another shaft comprising a pair of axially alined independently rotating shaft portions, means coupled with the drive shaft rotating said shaft portions in opposite directions one with respect to the other, and the third shaft comprising a crank shaft, means fixed to the shaft portions for driving the bed of the press in two directions, means comprising a pair of reciprocating drivers actuated from the crank shaft for intermittently engaging and operating the bed to reverse the bed at the limit of movement thereof in both directions, said last named means including oscillating gear segments operatively engaging spaced racks on said bed, and said second named means comprising rotating gear segments operatively engaging other racks on said bed.

13. In printing presses, a bed motion comprising a tri-shaft drive mechanism, one shaft comprising the main drive shaft, another shaft comprising a pair of axially alined independently rotating shaft portions, means coupled with the drive shaft rotating said shaft portions in opposite directions one with respect to the other, and the third shaft comprising a crank shaft, means fixed to the shaft portions for driving the bed of the press in two directions, means comprising a pair of reciprocating drivers actuated from the cran'x shaft for intermittently engaging and operating the bed to reverse the bed at the limit of movement thereof in both directions, said last named means including gear segments operative-- ly engaging spaced racks on said bed, and said gear segments being freely rotatable on said shaft portions.

14. In printing presses, a bed, two pairs of gear racks on the bed, two pairs of gear segments, one of said pairs of gear segments being rotated in opposite directions and engaging one pair of racks of the bed in driving the bed in two directions in the press, and means oscillating the other pair of gear segments in operatively engaging the other pair of gear racks of the bed in driving and reversing the bed.

15. In printing presses, a bed, two pairs of gear racks on the bed, two pairs of gear segments, one of said pairs of gear segments being rotated in opposite directions and engaging one pair of racks of the bed in driving the bed in two directions in the press, means oscillating the other pair of gear segments in operatively engaging the other pair of gear racks of the bed in driving and reversing the bed, and said last named pair of gear segments having a free oscillating movement relatively to and independent of the bed in each alternate reciprocating movement thereof.

16. In printing presses, a bed, two pairs of gear racks on the bed, two pairs of gear segments, one of said pairs of gear segments being rotated in opposite directions and engaging one pair of racks of the bed in driving the bed in two directions in the press, means oscillating the other pair of gear segments in operatively engaging the other pair of gear racks of the bed in driving and reversing the bed, said last named pair of gear segments having a free oscillating movement relatively to and independent of the bed in each alternate reciprocating movement thereof, and said rotary gear segments operatively engaging the first pair of racks during substantially one-quar- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 477,200 Crowell June 21, 1892 1,811,139 Laubach June 23, 1931 2,140,986

Dearing Dec. 20, 1938 

